Government relaxes three-day office working rules for civil servants

The government is not enforcing rules that require civil servants to spend three days a week in the office, reports have suggested.

Although official guidelines established by the Conservatives have not been changed, a more relaxed approach is being taken as to where employees work, The Times reported.

According to Whitehall sources, Labour ministers are doing little to enforce the rules and are taking a “more pragmatic” attitude regarding home working.

In November last year, civil servants in office-based roles were told they needed to spend 60% of their time working face-to-face with colleagues. However, these are being quietly ignored by ministers who are not interested in monitoring home working.

But the Labour business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has noted there are “real economic benefits” to more flexible working. Speaking to The Times this week, he said that promoting flexible working would increase productivity, spread economic growth across the country and boost employer loyalty among staff.

He also criticised Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, his predecessor, for taking a harder line on home working, which saw him leave notes on empty desks in Whitehall.

Commenting on the upcoming Employment Rights Bill, he said it would provide “real economic benefits” and help the country to level up through default rights to request flexible working, a right to switch off and the ability to work from home.

Reynolds, along with other ministers including deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, have informed their employees that they are in favour of flexible working.

Business groups including the Institute of Directors and the Chartered Management Institute have also largely supported Labour’s flexible working policies, highlighting that flexibility is important in helping solve labour shortages in the UK.

But while the government appears to be taking a more flexible approach, some private sector companies seem to be demanding more in-person office attendance from employees. On Monday (16 September), a memo from Amazon’s chief executive told staff they must return to the workplace five days a week from January 2025.

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